ALLAN CUNNINGHAM says – “Burns disliked to be tutored in matter of taste, and could not endure that one should run shouting before him whenever any fine object appeared. On one occasion of this kind, a lady at the poet’s side said –
‘Burns, have you nothing to say of this?’
‘Nothing, madam, nothing,’ he replied, glancing at the leader of the party, ‘for an ass is braying over it.’ ”
